Belt lacing



A. F. WYDEEN BELT LACING March 2, E93?.

Filed March 30, 1935 INvEN-ron Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED sm'rs ATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in belt lacings, in general, and particularly to that type which comprises a plurality of hook elements adapted to be driven into the adjacent ends of the belt, thereby to splice them together.

It is now common practice to splice together the ends of a belt with a plurality of metallic hook elements, commonly known as a lacing.

This lacing is usually composed of a plurality of separate hook elements supported upon a suitable card board which serves as a holder for the hook elements before use, and as a means for spacing them apart when securing them to the i5 ends of the belt. Other lacing devices comprise a plurality of hook elements which may be secured together by other means such, for eX- ample, as metallic connections between the legs of adjacent hook elements. Others are made from sheet metal and may be punched from a single sheet so that they are connected together in a permanent manner.

None of the lacing devices now in common use, however, are provided with a rigid bar which is adapted to abuttingly engage the ends of the belt to thereby positively square the lacing device with the longitudinal center line of the belt, when securing it thereto. In the present invention, the hook elements are permanently secured to a .rigid bar, whereby they cannot become detached from one another. Each hook element is formed with two legs which are threaded through apertures in the bar, and certain of which are coiled about the bar to provide loops or eyes adapted to receive a gauge pin, during the operation of securing the lacing to the belt. The loops are shaped so as to prevent the gauge pin from relatively rotating therein, whereby the lacing may readily be secured to the belt with the use of an 40 ordinary hammer. By thus supporting the gauge pin in the loops when the sharpened terminals of the lacing are driven into the belt the outer portions of the loops will bear against a gauge pin and press it firmly into engagement with the metallic bar whereby all of the loops will be accurately squared with the longitudinal center line of the belt when the lacing. is secured thereto.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of hook elements permanently secured thereto, and which may be quick ly applied to the ends of a belt in accurate alinement therewith.

A further object is to provide a belt lacing icomprising a metallic bar having a plurality 0f apertures therein adapted to receive a plurality of wire elements or units, the ends of which are bent in opposite directions and Vprovided with suitably sharpened terminals which are oppositely disposed and normally spaced apart to re ceive the end of a belt therebetween, said bar being adapted to abuttingly engage the end of the belt, thereby to accurately position the lacing with respect thereto, when driving the sharpened terminals thereof into the belt.

A further object is to provide a belt lacing comprising a metallic bar having a longitudinally extending groove in a surface thereof, and a plurality of pairs of holes in the bottomtthereof extending through the bar, and a U-shaped wire element having its spaced legs received in the apertures of each pair of apertures, whereby the connections between the legs of each wire unit are received in said groove, and the legs of each unit being bent in. opposite directions and each provided with a terminal hook adapted to penetrate the belt, when securing the lacing thereto, one of said legs being bent around the bar, whereby its terminal hook is positioned over the terminal hook of the other leg of the wire element, and said terminal hooks being so shaped that when the end of a belt is inserted therebetween and abuttingly engaged with said bar, and the terminals are driven into the belt, said terminals will tend to force the end of the belt firmly against the bar. V

Other objects of the invention reside in the particular manner of threading the wire elements through the. apertures in the bar, and whereby one leg of each element is looped around the bar to thereby provide a loop or eye adapted to receive a pivot pin; in the particular manner of forming the terminal hooks with flattened surfaces to facilitate driving them into the surface of the belt; in the offset arrangement of the terminal hooks of each wire element or unit; in" the particular arrangement of the terminals' of the lacing whereby the distance between the points of the hooks thereof provide a gauge for the thickness of the belt that the lacing is particularly designed for; in the staggered arrangement of the terminal hooks, whereby they engage a relatively larger elective area of the belt; and, in the inclined arrangement of the terminal hooks oi the wire elements, whereby when said hooks are driven into the belt, the loop portions or eyes of the longer legs of each wire element will be drawn firmly into engagement with a gauge pin positioned against the bar of the` lacing, whereby all of the looped portions or eyes of the lacing will be accurately spaced from the end' of the belt so that when the loops of the adjacent ends of a belt are moved into interdigitated r operative positions, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, a suitable pivot pin may be inserted through said looped wire portions, thereby to splice together the ends of the belt.

Other objects of the invention will oppear from the following description and accompanying drawing and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawing there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View showing the novel lacing splicing together the ends of a belt;

Fig. 2 is a similar view looking at the splice from the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinally sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. '2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is aV detail sectional View showing one end of a belt inserted between the spaced apart hooks of the lacing just before the hooks are driveninto the belt to secure the lacing thereto;

Fig. 6 is a top View of Fig. 5, with the belt omitted;V

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the initial shape of the wire elements or units before being inserted through the apertures in the metallic bar;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the legs of the U-shaped wire element shaped to provide the pointed terminals which are driven into the belt from opposite sides thereof;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing a construction in which the pointed terminals are arranged in staggered relation; and

Fig. 10 is an end view of Fig. 9.

To afford a clearer explanation of the invention, there is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the adjacent ends 2 and 3 of a belt which are to be spliced together. As is customary, the end faces 4 and 5 of the belt ends 2 and 3, respectively, are squared with respect to the longitudinal center line of the belt to vfacilitate splicing together said ends, and whereby they will be accurately alined with each other when the splice has been completed.

The novel belt lacing herein disclosed comprises a rigid bar 6, preferably of metal, adapted to be abuttingly engaged with the end of the belt, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. To this bar are secured a plurality of wire elements or units, generally indicated by the numeral l. These elements are U-shaped, and each comprises spaced legs 8 and 9, the latter being relatively longer than the leg 8. These legs are connected together by an integral connection II, clearly illustrated in Fig. 7, and preferably have their terminals sharpened as shown, before threading the legs through the bar 8, as will subsequently be described.

The bar 6 is shown provided in its upper surface with a longitudinal groove I2, and a plurality of apertures or holes I3 are drilled through the bar from the bottom of the groove I2, as best shown in Fig. '7. Through these apertures the legs 8 and 9 of the U-shaped wire elements l as rawhide.

are inserted. After inserting the legs of the wire elements through the apertures in the bar 6, they are bent in opposite directions, that is, laterally with respect to the bar E, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. The end portions of the legs 8 and 9 are then bent to provide terminal hooks I4 and I5, respectively, which, after completing the shaping of the legs to the form shown in Fig. 5, are oppositely disposed with their terminals spaced apart to receive the ends of the belt therebetween.

In bending the legs to the form shown in Fig. 5, the relatively longer leg 9 is coiled to provide a loop Il, which cooperates with similar loops in the other wire elements to receive a suitable pivot pin I8. The pivot pin, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is preferably of a suitable flexible material, such The wire loops I'I, formed in the'legs 9, are so arranged that when the lacing is secured to the ends of the belt, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the loops I'I at adjacent ends of the belt will be arranged in staggered relation so that they may be interdigitated or interlocked, to thereby receive the pivot pin I8. The loops I1 are slightly oval in shape, as bestshown in Fig. 3 so that the gauge pin cannot relatively rotate therein. It is to be understood that the shape of the gauge pin I5 cross-sectionally corresponds substantially to the oval shape of the loops I1.

An important feature of the invention resides in permanently securing the wire elements or units to the bar 6, whereby they cannot become detached therefrom. Lacing members of this general type, now in common use, are not secured to a bar such as herein disclosed, but are usually mounted upon a cardboard or other support to prevent them from becoming detached from one another. In the form here shown, and, as previously stated, the wire elements or units are permanently secured to the bar 6, which may be made to any desired length and may, therefore, contain any desired number of wire elements or units.

When the ends of a belt `are to be spliced, a suicient length of the bar is cut off to provide lacing members for the width of the belt, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of the belt are inserted between the terminals of the hooks I 4 and I5, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, whereupon said hooks are driven into the belt from opposite sides thereof by any suitable tool such, for example, as a hammer, or by machines designed for that purpose. Before `driving the terminals I4 and I5 into the belt, the gauge pin I6 is inserted through the loops I1. The terminals are then driven into the belt to the positions shown in Fig. 3, after which the gauge pin I6 is removed from the loops I1. In the operation of forming the legs 8 and 9 with the terminal hooks I4 and I5, the legs are slightly inwardly curved, as shown at A in Fig. 5, whereby when the terminals thereof are driven into the belt, the leg portions A will firmly engage the surfaces of the belt, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

The bar 8 provides an adequate support for the gauge pin I8 during the operation of driving the terminals Ill and l5 into the belt so that when the lacing has been Secured to the ends of the belt, as shown in Fig. 3, the loops I 'l will be accurately alined crossewise of the belt. Thus when the pivot pin I8 is inserted through the loop Il, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, all of the loops will enga-ge the periphery of the pivot pin, so that each will cariy its share of the load, when the belt is placed under tension. Y

Another important feature of the invention resides in the particular shaping of the terminals CID Ill and I which are disposed at a slight incline to the vertical, when driven into the belt as shown in Fig. 3. By thus bending the pointed terminals I4 and I5 slightly inwardly towards the pivot pin I8, when said terminals are driven into the belt, they have a tendency to draw the loops I'I firmly into contact with the gauge pin I6 and, at the same time, the gauge pin is pressed firmly against the bar 6, whereby said bar is pressed into engagement with the end of the belt, as Will readily be understood by reference to Fig. 3. By thus supporting the lacing while securing it to the belt, it will be accurately disposed at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the belt.

The terminals I4 and I5 are preferably provided with flattened surfaces I9 to receive the hammer blows, and the length of the terminals is preferably such as to completely penetrate the belt, whereby the terminals thereof may be slightly upset or riveted over, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 3.

Figs. 9 and l0 illustrate a slightly modified construction wherein the lengths of the legs 8 and 9 vary somewhat from the lengths of the corresponding legs shown in the previous figure, and whereby the terminal hooks I4 and I5 are arranged in staggered relation, as best shown in Fig. 9. By thus staggering the terminal hooks I4 and I5 of the lacing, they will engage a wider area of the belts surface, as will readily be understood, which eliminates tearing of the belt ends, when the belt is subjected to severe tensional strains or loads.

I claim as my invention:

1. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of apertures therein, wire elements having oppositely disposed legs, o-ne leg of each element being threaded through adjacent apertures and bent in opposite directions, thereby to permanently secure the elements to the bar, and said legs being disposed in oiset relation lengthwise of the bar, and having their terminals bent inwardly and normally spaced apart to receive the end of a belt.

2. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of apertures therein, oppositely disposed hook elements arranged in pairs and each having a U-shaped portion received in adjacent apertures in said bar thereby to secure the hook elements thereto with their sharpened terminals facing inwardly whereby said sharpened hooks may be driven into a belt to secure the lacing thereto.

3. A belt lacing comprising a rigid metallic bar having a plurality of apertures therein, U-shaped elements secured to said bar, one leg only of each U-shaped element being threaded through adjacent apertures in said bar and permanently secured therein, and said wire elements having sharpened terminals normally spaced apart to receive one end of a belt therebetween, said bar having a face adapted to abuttingly engage the end of the belt, thereby to accurately aline the lacing therewith.

4. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of. apertures therein, a plurality of wire elements each comprising two legs, one leg of each element being threaded through two of said apertures and bent in opposite directions lengthwise of the belt, whereby said elements are permanently secured to the bar, said wire elements having sharpened terminals bent inwardly to provide oppositely disposed hooks adapted to be driven into a belt, and one of said legs being coiled about the bar to provide a non-circular loop adapted tol receive a gauge pin to facilitate' securing the lacing to a belt.

5. A belt lacing comprising a metallic bar having a plurality of spaced parallel apertures therein, a plurality of wire elements each having a pair of legs, the legs of each of said elements being received in two of said apertures and projecting from the same side of the bar, said legs being bent in opposite directions transversely of the bar, and one of said legs having a loop formed therein adapted to receive a pivot pin, said legs having pointed terminals adapted to be driven into a belt to secure the lacing thereto.

6. A belt lacing comprising a metallic bar having a plurality of spaced parallel apertures therein, a plurality of. wire elements each having a pair of legs, one leg of each element having a U-shaped portion received in two of said apertures to secure the element thereto and whereby the legs of. each element project from the same side of the bar, said legs having inwardly directed sharpened terminals normally spaced apart to receive a belt therebetween and means whereby said legs will firmly engage the surfaces of the belt, when the terminals thereof are driven into the belt.

7. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a longitudinal groove in a surface thereof, a plurality of spaced apertures in the bottom of said groove extending through the bar, and a plurality of lacing elements permanently secured to said bar and each element comprising a pair of legs, one only of which is threaded through apertures in said bar, and the legs of each wire element having inwardly directed terminal hooks adapted to be driven into a belt to secure the lacing thereto.

8. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, and a plurality of lacing elements each comprising a pair of legs disposed in offset relation, and one of. the legs of each element being threaded through adjacent apertures in the bar and bent in opposite directions to permanently secure the lacing elements to the bar, the legs of each element having inwardly directed terminal hooks adapted to be driven into a belt.

9. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, a plurality of wire elements having spaced legs received in said apertures and having their terminals sharpened and adapted to be driven into a belt to secure the lacing thereto, said legs projecting from the same side of the bar, and one of said legs having a loop formed therein adapted to receive a gauge pin, when securing the lacing to a belt, whereby all of the loops in the length of lacing secured to the belt will be accurately alined to receive a pivot pin.

10. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a longitudinal groove and a plurality of spaced apertures therein, wire elements eachl having a pair of legs, one leg of each element having a portion threaded through adjacent apertures and disposed at right angles to said legs whereby the wire elements are inseparably secured to the bar with their legs extending laterally therefrom, and the legs of each wire element comprising oppositely disposed inwardly directed hooks adapted to be driven into a belt, thereby to secure the lacing thereto.

l1. A belt lacing comprising a bar having a groove and `a plurality of spaced apertures therein,v U-shaped wire elements each havinga pair of legs, one leg of each element having a portion received in adjacent apertures whereby the elements are secured to the bar, the legs of. each Wire element comprising oppositely disposed inwardly directed hooks adapted to be driven into a belt, thereby to secure the lacing thereto, and the hooks .of said elements being disposed in staggered relation in directions both crosswise and lengthwise of the bar.

12. A belt lacing comprising a bar having spaced apertures therein, U-shaped `Wire ele!- ments each having one leg threaded through apertures in said bar vand the legs of said elements having inwardly directed sharpened terminals'adapted to be driven into a'belt, thereby to secure the lacing thereto, and said legs having flattened surfaces adapted to be engaged by a suitable instrument, When securing the lacing to a belt.

AUGUST F. WYDEEN. 

